Playing with Fire
by MakynaMordeaux
Summary: One has lived a life with no consequences; one has lived up to their mistakes. One has learned to be compassionate; one is filled with hatred and is hard to crack.
1. Chapter 1

**~Playing with Fire~**

**Many sorrys if I suck.**

**~ This is a love story between to people, who have a lot to learn. One has lived a life with no consequences for what she has done, while the other has lived up to his mistakes. _One has learned to be compassionate; one is filled with hatred and is hard to crack._ The Hothead and the Runaway. The Runaway and the Hothead. Either way, they both have a long ways to go before they will come to peace. Not just with each other, But with the world.~**

Maybe I left for selfish reasons. Maybe Uncle can't do this on his own. Maybe he can. I was getting a whole lot of maybes. A yes or No would mean the world to me right now.

The fire nation's leader vanquished. The destined fire lord disappeared. I didn't want the responsibility. I didn't want the power to turn me into my father. I feared it would, and that is why I left. Now I stand here asking for Fire Flakes. Just another citizen of the nation.

"Here's your Fire Flakes dude." Some man said walking up finally.

"Thank You."

I walked off to eat in peace. You might say, why would you wander into an alley? How is that peaceful Zuko you idiot? Well, I don't know. I was just sitting there when I heard crashing in the building at the end. A girl burst out and 3 men came after her. I froze when I looked at her face. _She looked so much like my mom_. Then the men threw flames at her. She tried to get out of the way but failed. Her face sent me into action. Pain like that I had seen on my mothers face.

"**Leave her alone**!" I yelled. I fought them off for maybe 5 minutes. They retreated. I turned to the girl next to me. She lay there, still. She had maybe a few older scars and her skin was pinkish were the fire had licked her legs. For some reason I couldn't leave her. I scooped her up into my arms like a child. I was careful not to touch the area where she had been burnt. I carried the girl to the small place I was staying in. It was an old Tea Shop that had needed helpers for waiting on people and cleaning. I lay her on the small bed. I grabbed a bucket of cool water and a rag. As soon as I touched it to her skin, she jerked awake.

"What have you done with me? Where am I?" she demanded.

"You got hurt… I didn't know where else to take you. **Sorry if you wanted me to leave you for those thugs!**" I lashed out. She recoiled and I could have sworn I had seen sheer terror in her eyes.

"I. I. I. I am sorry. I have just been through a lot and … I am just scared. I don't even know you." She bowed her head.

"My name is Zuko."

"I though you looked familiar. _Fire Lord_." She looked pained. But she knew. It had not been long so I guess it's not that surprising.

"I did you a favor back there, so don't go around telling people! You **will** answer to me." I said menacingly.

"Yes, _Fire Lord_. Just tell me one thing…" She said mischievously."Why? And not why did you leave, why did you save me? I am nothing but a peasant." She looked ashamed.

"_Why were they after you?_" I snarked in response. She paled.

"I can't trust you with that information just yet. I can't just go around telling people… Even though I sound like a hypocrite. You will have to **work** for answers."

"_Same for you, Girl. Same for you._" I said softly, with a hint of evil. I don't give in that easily.

**-10/2**


	2. Chapter 2

**So. Anybody have anything to say about my chapters…**

**Love, hate, who do we appreciate? **

**Not me! Not me!**

"Lee, you start in- oh… am I interrupting something?" La-Ming said. His face was surprised as his eyes took us in. I was kneeling on the bed and she was in my face ready to threaten me. But I guess it could be taken many ways.

"Yes. I thank you too! Mister Lee was about to cross the line…" La-Ming's face went from surprise to a smirk.

"I am not surprised! Mister Lee seems like quite the ladies man!" He chuckled and walked out.

**"What was that for! I did nothing to you! I save your behind from those thugs!"** I yelled in her ear. She flinched back, genuinely scared.

"I. ." suddenly the determination and stubbornness I had many times seen in Toph's eyes was in hers, "I'll do what ever I may please, _Fire Lord_." Every time she said fire lord it dripped with sarcasm and irony. And worst of all disrespect.

I may have lost some of my anger, but know I was still as tense as I was when I first hunted down the avatar. Which fueled me on. With out thinking the consequences of what ever might happen, I picked her up by the collar of the outfit she wore. She paled. My hand became hot as I threw her over my knee. _**Smack. Smack. Smack. **_I have no idea what possessed me to do exactly that. Maybe it was the childish and immature way she was acting.

"a-h-how! Ga-ah-ha." I dropped her down. Her eyes watered. "I am sorry, Zuko!" she turned to flee. I thought she would have ran out the door slamming it in the process. I would have heard her slamming down the steps. But no. She jumped out of the window.

"Wait-." I would have called out to her, but I realized, _I never knew her name_.

I ran. I hit the ground running and ran for the forest. Away from him. Away from the horror. As I ran I though back to the time I had visited aunt Wu.

"The man you fall in love with, he will be a powerful bender. He will also dominate you, put you in your place." She said. Her cheeks turned a bit pink before she continued, "He will call you out on the child like things you do, and also… treat you… like a child." I had never known what she meant. But now I see what she means by childish. I felt like a little girl being scolded by her mom! But I couldn't be destined to fall in love with **HIM!** I sighed and stopped running. I had almost reached the forest. But I was too tired to go on, so I slept on the sack of hay left out for ostrich horses on the near by farm.

I looked at the sun. I would surely be late this time. I jumped up and rushed for the market place. Min-Wu would fire me if I was late again! I need this job! I run, full force for the market place, even though I know people will stare. I slide to a stop in front of the Flaming Chicken-Pig. And Min-Wu.

"Late again! You should be fired for your insolence! As punishment, you will work the trays!" the trays!

"But it's dangerous!" I whined.

"Less whine, more work!" I walked around back. Working the trays meant traveling through the market place handing out samples. But the logo for the Flaming Chicken-Pig was a girl in some skimpy out fit. So being the only girl today working the trays, I had to wear it. It's dangerous out there alone, looking like this. The top was frilly and ended at my ribs. The bottoms were flouncy pants. They were black and red. Connecting the two pieces was black net material… I looked… _**ughhhhhhhhhhhhh**_. I walked out with my tray and started working.

Men are pigs. Big fat Cow-Pigs. I had been working for a while avoiding eye contact with disgusting men, when I broke my record of not running into someone. Usually when that happens, they get hands-y. I turned and stared into familiar golden orbs. The glinted with sorry and confusion.

"_Fleur da feu_! You cannot escape!" we both whipped our heads around to see the men that were chasing me coming my way. I turned back and looked him in the eyes. His were filled with anger. I startled back by the look on his face. He simply seized my wrist and pulled me out of the market. As soon as we got to a less dense place I turned to him.

"**Run**!" I took off, fast and for the forest. I never stopped to look back. Maybe because I was still unsure of if I wanted to face him. Once we were well into the forest, I felt a tug on my hand. I flew back, not expecting the pressure, and landed on him.

"Oof!"

"Sorry." I rolled off the boy.

"Why were you still running?" I tensed.

She didn't answer me. I couldn't help but wonder if I burned her… or hurt her in anyway… I wouldn't want to talk either I guess.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you."

"mmm." She didn't look at me, only turned a shade of pink.

"Please tell me, did I?" she ran. I didn't chase after her. I don't know why. Maybe I should have. I have no idea where I am.

I had been searching for either her or the city for hours. Near by I heard a river. I was coated in dirt, so I decide to take a bath. I had just started to take off a final piece of clothing, my pants, when I walked into the meadow containing the river. The moon reflected of it, being well after dark. I thought I saw something on the other end of the river, but I wasn't sure. I slipped out of the pants and quietly into the river. I went under and swam at bit. It sure was peaceful down here. The moon did not penetrate, so I relied solely on feel to figure out were I was going.

My hand brushed fur, and I lunged for what could only be a Beaver. _But my hands gripped skin._ I yanked back, wondering who else was in the lake. I shot up, my head breaking the surface. But no one else came up! All the sudden hands came up flailing a bit above the surface. But it seemed like it couldn't go any farther… So went I went down. I gentle let my hand trail along the body, so I could find what ever was holding it down. My face grew red. It was the only way… which sucks. I found the ankle of the person wrapped in sea weed. Before I could start to get it off the body stopped moving. I worked faster. Yes! I freed the girl, yes, it was **definitely** a girl… O/O. As I broke the surface, I grabbed her wrist and made sure her head was above water as we floated. I was too tired to do much else.

When I regained some breath, I realized we had drifted far away from my clothes. I looked at the girl next to me. Just as I feared, it was her. Her arms were now draped over the log I had found after a while. It covered anything I shouldn't see. She was obviously breathing because she had a coughing fit ever once in a while. _But even if she was alive, what do I do with out clothes!_

**O/O**


End file.
